1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing requests. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for processing television sales requests.
2. Description of the Related Art
Televisions have become a common household communications device in homes and other institutions. The television has become a source of entertainment and news. Additionally, the television is used as a means to communicate advertising on a wide-scale basis. Television programming involves broadcasting a broadcast television signal that is presented on a television system. The broadcast television signal also is referred to as a program or a television transmission signal. The broadcast television signal may be analog or digital in form. Further, this signal may be distributed over various types of medium in a communication system.
Different programs watched by users are often shown in segments in which commercials are presented in between different segments. Further, some programming provided to users themselves are commercials. These types of commercials are referred to as infomercials. An infomercial is a television commercial that runs as long as a typical television program. Infomercials also are referred to as paid programming or teleshopping. Infomercials are designed to solicit a direct response which is specific and quantifiable.
Currently, users who see items that they desire to purchase from an infomercial or other commercial presented on a television may purchase items by contacting the seller. The infomercials and commercials typically provide the viewer with a telephone number or a universal resource locator to a web site that the user may use to purchase a particular item. This type of process, however, requires the user to make the phone call, find their credit card, supply an operator with their name, address, credit card number, and perform other actions to purchase a particular item. This type of process may be inconvenient for a buyer.
For example, a buyer may be unable to find their credit card number or the buyer may miss the phone number presented on the commercial for an item that they wish to purchase. Also, this type of process is error prone. For example, an operator taking information for the purchase of an item may enter information incorrectly. The use of operators also is costly for a seller offering an item for sale.
If the user initiates the purchase process through a web site, the user enters the universal resource locator, finds and selects the item they wish to purchase, enters a name, address, credit card number, and other information to purchase the item. This type of purchasing process reduces the time and costs because operators are not involved. Purchasing items from a web site, however, still requires additional time from the user and still may be error prone. The user may enter incorrect information into the forms retrieved from the web site when selecting an item for purchase.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for minimizing some or all of the problems described above as well as other possible problems involved in purchasing items advertised on a television.